The air quality in Delhi remained in the “very poor” category for the second consecutive day on Tuesday even as the mercury was expected to drop to 7 degrees Celsius. The hourly Air Quality Index (AQI) was 340 at 7 am on Tuesday andwas 338 on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said the air quality is likely to remain in the “poor” category for the next three days as the weather conditions are unlikely to change significantly. “On Thursday, there is a chance of rain with strong wind, which is expected to improve the AQI to ‘moderate’ or ‘low end of poor’ through wet deposits and strong dispersal. The air quality has been deteriorating gradually since the past few weeks as the rate of accumulation of pollutants is likely to be higher than that of ventilation.”
The maximum temperature is likely to be around 22 degree Celsius on Tuesday. On Monday, the minimum temperature was recorded at 6.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal and the maximum was 22.2 degrees Celsius.
An AQI between zero and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”. An AQI in the “poor” range causes trouble breathing for most people upon prolonged exposure.
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